Those had been very difficult days for Jesus' disciples. He, their spiritual leader, had been executed. Later, they discovered that His remains had been stolen from His grave. For them, the Day of Resurrection was not a day of joy. It was a day of terror, a day of great fear.

Afraid of meeting the same fate as Jesus, some of them decided to shut themselves up in that upper room where they had shared the last supper with Him a few days before. This seemed safer than to flee from the city, since out in the open they ran the risk of being recognized and arrested.

During the evening of that day Jesus appeared to those assembled there. From fear they went into panic. Were they seeing a ghost? Jesus calmed them down, showing them his wounds and saying, "Remember, I told you that all these things you have experienced had to happen. Do not doubt my promises. Have faith in God and have faith in yourselves." At that point, the apostles went from being terrified to being ecstatically happy.

Thomas, who was an impulsive man, was not with them when this happened, since he needed to be by himself to put his thoughts in order and overcome the fear that had overtaken him.

On Saturday he was met by some of his companions and taken to the place where they were hidden. He was naturally stubborn. So, after having heard from those assembled about the appearance of their master, he argued with them, refusing to believe them unless he could touch the wounds in Jesus' hands and side. Given all that had happened just a few days before, this was a logical request.

Jesus was patient with Thomas, despite his evident doubts and fears, for He knew full well what it was like to be a human being. In His moment of greatest despair, Jesus Himself had also doubted. "Father! Why have you abandoned me?" He asked in sorrow and desperation. So, He let Thomas touch his wounds. After all, once we see and touch, we can no longer doubt. Then Thomas believed. Falling on his face in front of Him, he cried in shame, "I believe Lord, my God and my Master. I believe."

Jesus said, "Because you have seen me, you have believed." And, turning to face everyone, He added, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Not as a rebuke to Thomas' doubts, but as an important recommendation to remember in those moments when fear and doubts take hold of us, when we feel that God has abandoned us, when we feel that we no longer have any hope, when we don't even believe in our own selves.

I once heard that "If you don't believe in God, it's not a problem. You are an atheist, and this has a solution. But, be very concerned when, because of fear, you stop believing in yourself, because neither God nor the Devil wants such a person."

The fear Thomas felt had been greater than his faith, to the point that he stopped believing in who he was: one of Jesus' disciples. One of those to whom it had been promised that he would do even greater things than those his master had been able to do.

Yes, it is true that those who have believed without having seen are blessed. But if, in this moment, you don't believe, don't flee, don't run in the opposite direction, don't try to get away from Him. Look for Jesus in all your life's journeys, in all your experiences, in all the people surrounding you. Open your eyes. Look at Him. See Him for who He is. Touch Him. Then you will have no doubts that Christ is not dead, that He has risen, that He continues living among us. And most importantly, that He continues living in you.

Scripture
John 20:19-31
New International Version (NIV)

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

To read more devotionals by Mr. Rubio, visit A Big Child Ministry (http://abigchild.spaces.live.com).